It would be relatively easy to bring back a form of National Service: the government simply changes the law so that anyone who has served in either the Regular or Reserve Forces now has an unlimited obligation.

Does'nt matter if you did a year in the TA's 20 years ago or you just finished 22 years in the Royal Marines - you're in until the government has no further use for you. This, along with abolishing the upper age limit as long as a person is fit to serve, would give the government a huge supply of "new recruits".

Of course, it would be politically very difficult. But this is a government who ignored half a million people marching against the war in Iraq. A government who listens only to those people who agree with them.

Well it would be difficult and expensive to get ex-regs in their 40's back in under duress - and unproductive to be sure!

But what about ex-toms collecting unemployment/social benefits.....?

Click to expand...

On that note I have met guy in Stirling that sells the Big Issue and is ex para and still wih in the age limit. But they will not take im cos he has a pin in his leg othere than that he seems more than willing to go back in rather than sleep rough as he is at the moment.

I doubt that the USA will ever start drafting people again, short of a major war with super power like China, will be soon.

I have always favored a universal military training requirement, that would obligate both men and women to serve in the active military for a two year period, followed by an active Reserve/National Guard requirment of at least 8 years.

Of course an alternate type of public service, program would have to be set up for those with religious or other objections to military service.

The whole American way of war is based on the standing Army being a trip wire for mass conscription. When the US decided to drop the draft it was hedged around with this consideration.

This is a nation so effete that they won't even allow eagerly regimental gays to stoat about in uniform and they have only recently lifted the ban on tattooed recruits.

The draft could be brought back easily except for one major barrier. Given the painfully feminist correctness of the US women would also have to be drafted. This in an society obsessed with gender differences and not at all resigned to the idea of unwilling girls being fed into the meatgrinder is politically difficult.

The obvious alternative is starting a Foreign Legion where service gains you citizenship. There are plenty of able folks in Nepal, Georgia and even Hezbollah willing to die for US citizenship.

There are also 10s of millions of macho illegals in the US but unfortunately too many racially paranoid Yanks look south and kack themselves at the thought of swarthy Latinos seducing their womanfolk.

Things are not going to end nicely arround the land of the two rivers. The Pentagon is buying the wrong kind of army to cope with it. I'd bet on a draft with in the next decade in the US.